An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Gray Mountain Primary School, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada on 20 Apr. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:47 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between OR4ISS and IK1SLD. The contact should be audible over the west coast of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.

The incredible opportunity to speak with the I.S.S. and Chris Hadfield has sparked a frenzy of space related themes and ideas throughout our school and inspired the community. Our small school has been transformed into a space education station with student-created learning displays and artwork throughout. The kids have been reading and writing using space to inspire imaginations and incorporating space exploration into math and science lessons. We have a local artist who is coming to build a life size Soyuz spacecraft out of recycled materials with the Grade 2s and 3s and the media is incredibly excited. The entire process is being documented with pictures and video from the ground, which will lead up to the contact and everyone involved is on pins and needles.

Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:

1. Can you see the Great Wall of China and other famous landmarks and which

is your favorite to view from the space station?

2. What things can't you do in space that you can do on earth?

3. How big is the space station and do you have enough room to dance?

4. What would happen if there was a fire on the space station, and do you

have an escape plan?

5. Does your body respond to exercise the same way in space, like your heart

rate and sweating?

6. I was wondering if there is a television on the international space

station and do you get many channels?

7. How much water do you keep on the space station and how do you keep it

from freezing?

8. If you took a plant with you to the space station would the quick changes

in light and dark help it or hurt it?

9. Have you ever walked on any planet or moon other than Earth and do you

want to?

10. How long do you sleep for each night and does the sun keep you awake?

11. What kind of exercises do you do to keep fit on the space station?

12. How long can you stay up in space without fresh supplies?

13. Can you see and hear the northern lights from in the space station?

14. How do you go in and out of the space station without wasting air?

15. Do you have to be in a military branch to be an astronaut, and what other

things do you have to be able to do?

16. What kinds of things do you do to entertain yourself when you don't have

to work?

17. What would happen to a balloon if you blew it up on the space station and

took it outside with you on a spacewalk?

18. How do you play music in space and what do you like to listen to?

19. When are you coming to the Yukon to visit our school?

Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be obtained by subscribing to the SAREX maillist. To subscribe, go to http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/ and choose "How to Subscribe".

Next planned event(s):

1. Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, ME, telebridge via IK1SLD

Tue, 23Apr2013, 14:38 UTC

2. Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI), Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada,

telebridge via IK1SLD

Thu, 25Apr2013, 14:34 UTC

3. Istituto d'Istruzione Superiore Euclide, Bari, Italy, telebridge via

IZ7RTN

Sat, 27Apr2013, 11:17 UTC

ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.

ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).

Thank you & 73,

David - AA4KN